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Potential government budget cuts at the end of the year won't lead to furloughs or pay reductions in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has a budget of about $1 billion, Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane said in a meeting with agency employees. Macfarlane also said she is focused on reviewing policies associated with the Fukushima Daiichi incident in Japan and the possible impact of natural disasters on nuclear plant regulation. "We need to be proactive in understanding how the Earth is changing," she said.

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New rules on decommissioning plants and managing radioactive waste are needed because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's rules are inadequate, said outgoing NRC Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane. "I believe it's time for the NRC to develop regulations specific to the decommissioning of nuclear power plants," and "it's appropriate and necessary to begin a rulemaking to address a generic standard," she said. She said the commission and the Department of Energy should create new legislation regarding the proposed Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is working swiftly to revive licensing studies for the Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada in compliance with a court order, Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane said in submitted testimony. The agency, however, has insufficient funds to finish the review. "The matter of whether or not funds are appropriated for the fiscal year 2014 is before Congress, and the fiscal year 2015 budget development process is well underway," she said.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will make sure that all safety objectives in the Plant Vogtle expansion project in Georgia are met, Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane said as she toured the site. "In preparation for this visit, I've spent time with resident inspectors at the site, both at the operating facilities and at the construction site," Macfarlane said. "Both of these teams are focused on the main priorities of ensuring public health and safety."

The seismic tests proposed by Pacific Gas and Electric are the only way to assess the offshore faults near the company's Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California, said Allison Macfarlane, chairwoman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The tests, which entail hitting the seabed with sound waves, were blocked by state officials last year over concerns about potential damage to marine life.